Assembly and mounting of solar cells on space vehicles or satellites

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10276742-B2
Application number	US-201615241418-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2016
Priority date	Jul 9, 2015
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

Solar cell array assemblies or modules and methods of making and using such solar cell array assemblies or modules, having discrete predefined pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) regions thereon. In certain embodiments, the solar cell array modules may be conveniently mounted on the surface of a panel of a space vehicle or satellite with the discrete predefined PSA regions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of fabricating a solar cell array module comprising:
contacting a flexible support with pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) regions on a first side of the flexible support with a first side of a first release carrier having a sequence of solar cell assemblies with a first surface on the first side of the release carrier, under conditions effective to transfer the solar cell assemblies to the PSA regions on the first side of the flexible support, wherein the contacting comprises using an automated process to attach the solar cell assemblies to the first side of the flexible support by bonding the solar cell assemblies to the PSA regions to prepare a patterned solar cell array, and
separating the solar cell assemblies from the release carrier with the solar cell assemblies attached to the PSA regions, the solar cell assemblies separate from the release carrier to expose the first surface of the solar cell assemblies, wherein the solar cell assemblies attached to the PSA regions have accessible electrical contacts of both polarities.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising
providing a second release carrier having a sequence of pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) patches on a first side of the second release carrier; and
contacting the PSA patches on the first side of the second release carrier with the first side of the flexible support under conditions effective to transfer the PSA patches to the first side of the flexible support using an automated process to form the discrete predefined PSA regions on the first side of the flexible support to form the flexible support with PSA regions;
wherein the second release carrier is provided on a cassette or spool.

3. A method as defined in claim 2 , wherein contacting to transfer the PSA patches to the first side of the flexible support comprise:
unwinding the second release carrier from the cassette or spool;
passing the second release carrier through a first automated assembly device in a first direction, wherein the first automated assembly device has two rollers rotating in the same direction; and
passing the flexible support through the first automated assembly device in a direction opposite the first direction in which the second release carrier passes through the first automated assembly device;
wherein the PSA patches on the first side of the second release carrier are contacted with the first side of the flexible support and pressure from the two rollers is effective to transfer the PSA patches to the first side of the flexible support to form the discrete predefined PSA regions on the first side of the flexible support.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first release carrier having a sequence of solar cell assemblies on the first side thereof is provided on a cassette or spool.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 , wherein contacting to transfer the solar cell assemblies to the PSA regions on the first side of the flexible support comprise:
unwinding the first release carrier having the sequence of solar cell assemblies on the first side thereof from the cassette or spool;
passing the release carrier through a second automated assembly device in a first direction, wherein the second automated assembly device has two rollers rotating in opposite directions; and
passing the flexible support having the PSA regions on the first side of the flexible support through the second automated assembly device in the same direction as the first direction in which the first release carrier passes through the second automated assembly device;
wherein the solar cell assemblies on the first side of the first release carrier are contacted with the first side of the flexible support having the PSA regions, and pressure from the two rollers is effective to attach the solar cell assemblies to the PSA regions on the first side of flexible support to prepare the pattered solar cell array.

6. A method as defined in claim 5 , wherein each of the PSA regions is shaped so that the shape matches and is congruent to that of a peripheral outline of the solar cell assembly attached thereto.

7. A method as defined in claim 6 , wherein each solar cell assembly comprises a CIC (Cover Glass-Interconnect-Solar Cell) assembly comprising solar cells, and each solar cell in said solar cell assembly is a III-V compound semiconductor multijunction solar cell.

8. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive on a second side of the flexible support patterned in the shape of and congruent to a shape of a surface of a space vehicle or satellite;
wherein the flexible support comprises a polyimide;
wherein the first release carrier having a sequence of solar cell assemblies on the first side thereof is provided on a cassette or spool;
wherein each of the PSA regions comprises a shape that matches and is congruent to that of a peripheral outline of the respective solar cell assembly attached thereto;
wherein each solar cell assembly comprises a CIC (Cover Glass-Interconnect-Solar Cell) assembly comprising solar cells, and each solar cell in said solar cell assembly is a III-V compound semiconductor multijunction solar cell; and
wherein each solar cell assembly has an area of about 0.1 mm 2 to about 100 mm 2 .

9. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the flexible support comprises a polyimide.

10. A method of fabricating a solar cell array module comprising:
providing a flexible support with discrete PSA regions on a first side of the flexible support;
contacting the discrete PSA regions with a first side of a release carrier having sequence of solar cell assemblies thereon; and
under conditions effective to transfer the solar cell assemblies to the discrete PSA regions, removing the sequence of solar cell assemblies from the release liner and attaching the sequence of solar cell assemblies to the first side of the flexible support to prepare a patterned solar cell array,
wherein a pressure sensitive adhesive is located on a second side of the flexible support.

11. A method as defined in claim 10 , wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive on the second side of the flexible support is patterned.

12. A method as defined in claim 11 , wherein the pattern of the pressure sensitive adhesive on the second side of the flexible support is in a shape of and congruent to a shape of a surface of a space vehicle or satellite.

13. A method as defined in claim 12 , wherein preparing the pattern of the pressure sensitive adhesive on the second side of the flexible support is performed using an automated process.

14. A method as defined in claim 10 , wherein a bottom surface of the solar cell assembly is composed of metal.

15. A method as defined in claim 10 , wherein the flexible support is composed of a poly (4,4′-oxydiphenylene-pyromellitimide) material.

16. A method as defined in claim 10 , wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive on the second side of the flexible support is shaped and sized to match selected surface portions of a space vehicle, and wherein the method further comprises a step of placing the pressure sensitive adhesive on the second side of the flexible support of the solar cell array module adjacent a surface of a space vehicle against respective selected surface portions of the space vehicle.

17. A method as defined in claim 10 , wherein each solar cell assembly is electrically connected to an adjoining solar cell assembly.

18. A method of mounting a solar cell array module on a space vehicle or satellite comprising:
providing a

Assignees

• Solaero Tech Corp

Inventors

• Clevenger Marvin B
• Tourino Cory
• Richards Benjamin

Classifications

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title

• H01L31/048

  Electricity · mapped topic

• Y02P70/521

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H01L31/1876 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/042

  Electricity · mapped topic